Board dilemma: Abandon gym to get new classrooms

INVERNESS -- School officials will not be able to use state construction dollars to build another wing of classrooms at Citrus High School if they continue to use the school's former gymnasium as classroom space.

But a state official reviewing the matter did not say whether state construction funds could be used if the School Board declares that the old gym can't be used -- a move several board members said they would consider making.

The determination, which came from David Morris, the state's director of student support services, didn't satisfy board member Sandra "Sam" Himmel.

"They kind of just restated what Spike (board attorney Spike Fitzpatrick) asked them without the answers," Himmel said. "I don't think they told me anything that I didn't already know."

The old gymnasium at Citrus High now houses agriculture programs. School officials were preparing to renovate that space into better classrooms when the School Board, led by Himmel, pitched another idea: building a new wing of classrooms to house agriculture and free up the old gym for possible renovation into a community gym.

State rules say a high school can have only one gymnasium. State officials also won't approve using state capital outlay monies for construction of a new wing of classrooms when a school already has usable space to house those classes.

The letter from Morris reiterates that.

"It would not be appropriate to use capital outlay funds to convert the vocational space back to a gym . . . It is also inappropriate to eliminate what is identified as satisfactory space and use capital funds to provide that same space," he wrote.

But the letter goes on to explain that the school district could conduct a study to determine whether the building, which was built in 1955, is actually satisfactory now.

If it is not, the district can declare it surplus and can lease, sell or give it to Inverness or Citrus County.

"These are only some options the district may choose to examine," Morris said in concluding his letter.

"He doesn't say, if we declare it unusable, (whether) can we use our capital outlay money" to build new agriculture classrooms, said board member Ginger Bryant. "That's what I really need to know."

She said she didn't have any real problems declaring the old gym as unsatisfactory space. "It's a piece of junk," she said.

Board member Patience Nave said the state's letter was confusing, and she and other board members have already publicly stated that they do not think the existing agriculture classrooms are acceptable. Nave said she did not want to see the district simply "make do" and renovate the old building.

Himmel said the board would need to discuss the issue further at its next meeting Nov. 12. Board members have said they do not want to spend general fund dollars to pay for the new classrooms. Those are the same monies used to hire teachers and give salary increases. But Himmel said there might still be other options. She wanted more questions answered before she was ready to give up on the idea, which she said community leaders have been supporting.

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